2015 Pacific Association season

The 2015 Pacific Association season was the third season of the Pacific Association. There was a four team 77 game schedule. Most series included a three-game series with each team having 39 home games. The Pittsburg Mettle became the Pittsburg Diamonds for the 2015 season.

2015 Pacific Association season
LeaguePacific Association
SportBaseball
DurationJune 1, 2015 – August 31, 2015 [1]
Number of games77 (155 games in total)
Number of teams4
Regular season
Season championsSonoma Stompers 1H (26–11), San Rafael Pacifics 2H (29–11)
League postseason
Finals championsSan Rafael Pacifics
  Runners-upSonoma Stompers

The San Rafael Pacifics entered the season as defending champions, having won both halves of the 2014 Pacific Association season.

The playoffs concluded on August 31, with the San Rafael Pacifics defeating the Sonoma Stompers 4–3 in the league's 2015 championship game.[2]

Team and rule changes

The four teams in the league played a 77-game schedule. Each team played 39 games for the first and second half of the season. Each half champion would receive a place in the best-of-one championship game.

In 2015, the Sonoma Stompers hired Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller to advise the team using their 'sabermetrics' theory of player management. They went on to write a book about their experience, called 'The Only Rule Is It Has to Work'.[3]

In June, Sonoma Stompers' pitcher Sean Conroy became baseball's first openly gay professional player. On the Stompers' pride night, Conroy threw a complete game shutout win.[4][5]

In July, the San Rafael Pacifics used three cameras stationed at different points around the ballpark, and used a robo umpire for the strike zone. Eric Byrnes would then announce balls and strikes.[6][7]

Regular season standings

as of August 31, 2015

Pacific Association
Regular Season Standings
Pos Team G First half record Second half record Season record Pct. GB
1 x – San Rafael Pacifics 7819–1929–1148–30.615--
2 x – Sonoma Stompers 7726–1118–2244–33.5713.5
3 e – Pittsburg Diamonds 7718–2020–1938–39.4949.5
4 e – Vallejo Admirals 7813–2612–2725–53.32123.0
  • y – Clinched division
  • x – Clinched playoff spot
  • e – Eliminated from playoff contention

[8]

Statistical leaders

Hitting
Stat Player Team Total
HRMatt ChavezSan Rafael Pacifics31
AVGScott DavidPittsburg Diamonds.384
RBIsMatt ChavezSan Rafael Pacifics85
SBMatt HibbertSonoma Stompers32

Pitching
Stat Player Team Total
WGregory Paulino, Max BeattySonoma Stompers, San Rafael Pacifics8
ERADennis NealVallejo Admirals2.47
SONick DeBarrSan Rafael Pacifics115
SVSteve ChapterPittsburg Diamonds14

To qualify as league leader for hitter, AVG - Minimum of plate appearances of 2.7 per team game. To qualify as league leader for pitcher, ERA - Minimum inning(s) of .8 pitched per team game. [9]

Playoffs

Format

In 2015, The winner of the first and second half played a best-of-one championship game. The Sonoma Stompers won the first half with a 26–11 record. The San Rafael Pacifics won the second half with a 29–11 record. The Pacifics hosted the Stompers on August 31.

Individual Awards
Award Player Team
Most Valuable PlayerMatt Chavez [10]San Rafael Pacifics
Pitcher of the YearMax Beatty [11]San Rafael Pacifics
Reliever of the YearSean Conroy [12]Sonoma Stompers
Rookie of the YearMark Hurley [13]Sonoma Stompers
Manager of the YearAaron Miles [14]Pittsburg Diamonds
Executive of the YearMike ShapiroSan Rafael Pacifics

Defensive Players of the Year

[15][16]

Position Player Team
CIsaac WenrichSonoma Stompers
1BDaniel BaptistaSonoma Stompers
2BYuki YasudaSonoma Stompers
SSDaniel GonzalezSan Rafael Pacifics
3BT.J. GavlikSonoma Stompers
LFMatt HurleySonoma Stompers
CFZack PaceSan Rafael Pacifics
RFMatt HibbertSonoma Stompers
PSean ConroySonoma Stompers

Notable players

Former Major League Baseball players who played in the Pacific Association in 2015

Other notable players who played in the Pacific Association in 2015

References
  1. "Pacific Association - schedule".
  2. "San Rafael Pacifics Win 2015 Pacific Association Championship". Independent Baseball. September 2, 2015.
  3. "How 'moneyball' came to the Sonoma Stompers". sonomanews.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  4. "Now Starting for the Sonoma Stompers". slate.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  5. "GOOD FOR YOU, SEAN CONROY!". stompersbaseball.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  6. "Eric Byrnes Lends Voice to 'Robo Ump,' Calls Balls and Strikes at Baseball Game". bleacherreport.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  7. "San Rafael minor league baseball team replacing human umpire with tech". abc7news.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  8. "Pacific Association - standings".
  9. "Pacific Association - stats".
  10. "Marin briefs: Pacifics' Chavez earns league MVP honors". marinij.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  11. "Marin briefs: Pacifics' Chavez earns league MVP honors". marinij.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  12. "STOMPERS SEAN CONROY VOTED PACIFIC ASSOCIATION'S TOP RELIEF PITCHER". stompersbaseball.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  13. "STOMPERS RE-SIGN 2015 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR MARK HURLEYs". stompersbaseball.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  14. "Aaron Miles, Manager". diamondsproball.com. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  15. "SEVEN STOMPERS SELECTED DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR". stompersbaseball.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  16. "Marin briefs: Pacifics' Chavez earns league MVP honors". marinij.com. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
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